The Awakening
by Meg The Monster
Summary: It's a different approach on the character, Gaara, and what happens after Shukaku awakens being dormant for several months. What starts to change? And what will happen the Sand Village.More to come with this story
1. The Demon

_ This is internal. A battle that can't be fought outside the body. A personal attack on the inside of me that could ultimately defeat me. The existence I think is real is useless. Nothing more than a broken memory of the life I don't want to be real. My life has only been brought up by the deaths of others. The only purpose for me is to kill the ones that live around me. To bring death to the ones that brought me life. To insure...that I will never disappear..._

Cool winds of night over his creeping footsteps. The smell of blood follows him wherever he goes. His haunting eyes show death and hate. The blood lust overtakes onlookers as they stare at him, wondering what he thinks each day. Wondering how he can watch the life of someone leave them; never to breathe again. His cold presence was enough to kill someone. _As long as there are people to kill in this great, wide world... I will never disappear._

"Gaara-kun, you have a lot of explaining to do! It's 12:26 in the morning and you're wandering around the city like some mindless zombie!" Kankuro screams at his little brother. "What the hell were you thinking? You got the whole city in an uproar and you look like nothings wrong with it."

Gaara doesn't look at his brother. There was nothing wrong with taking a walk at night. He'd rather walk around the village than be stuck in a tiny, dark room where he feels like he's choking for breath. He barely has eyes off him anyways. _Why can't they just leave me alone? I wasn't doing anything. They shouldn't worry their mindless heads over me. _He looked at the ground, angry and bitter. He wished his brother would get off his back. At the moment, everything was going wrong and nothing made sense. Why couldn't Kankuro accept that he just needed to be alone for a moment. He stood there silent, clutching his fist. He was sick of him. He was sick of everything. "Are you even listening to me Gaara! You can't do a stunt like this again"

"Just shut up you worthless excuse of a human," Gaara sneers. His voice cold and evil. His head still down towards the ground. His green eyes staring at his brother. "You're not my babysitter. Just my brother. Don't treat me like you mindless slave. I could kill you right now so don't ever raise your voice at me again." He lifts his head and walks towards his home.

Kankuro stands there, dumbfounded. His brother has never been that nasty to him in a long time. Not sense his demon was out of control in his body. He hasn't made a single death threat in so long. Something wasn't right.

* * *

_ Have no reason to live  
No reason for me to exist  
No reason...  
For me  
_

* * *

"Temari, can I talk to you for a minute?" Kankuro says, cracking the door wide enough so he could fit through. He needed to speak to his sister privately. There wasn't anyone else that could understand Gaara better than himself and Temari. 

Temari stared at her younger brother. Her blond hair was down on her back and her clothes ragged and messy. She didn't have time to pay attention to her brother yet he seemed more worried than he usually was. She threw her book bag down on her bed. She'd have to prepare for her mission to the leaf village later. For right now, her family came first. "What's with the worry? You seemed more bothered than usual."

Kankuro closed the door behind him. Temari knew immediately this was about Gaara. She sat on down her bed, letting Kankuro sit down on the chair in front of it. She could tell it was serious. Kankuro's eyes were nervous, more anxious than she had ever seen them before. It made her more worried than usual. "It's about Gaara. He's been acting funny again. He sneaks out at night and walks around the village. The smell of blood seems to always be around him more often. And just now, he threatened to kill me. He hasn't done that for several months." Kankuro pauses. "It's that demon. Shukaku. It's been awaken again."

Temari stared blankly at him. She'd been noticing the same things that Kankuro had been. He's been darker, more evil than he has been the months following the chunin exams. She wondered if there was a possible chance that his demon had been awaken. It's been dormant for so long. What would suddenly awaken it? Nothing has happened that would randomly wake it up? What's more, what will happen to Gaara? The last time Shukaku was awake, Gaara killed anyone, or anything, that angered him. He was a murderous monster she even feared to anger. Temari noticed Kankuro's hand trembling. She had never seen him this shaken up about it. "We'll monitor him from a distance. It's all we can do right now," she says calmly. "We can't let him on that we're watching him. That would be a fatal mistake for us to do right now. But we'll watch him. Notice any changes in his behavior."

Kankuro nodded in agreement, knowing it was the only thing they could do. He wondered if it would be like several months before; where any living thing was at risk to become the next victim. Where anything that walked could be killed if it angered Gaara. It scared him. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to see Gaara like that again. It was something he feared for a long time. Seeing Gaara return to his old self, and watch Temari and himself fight to keep themselves alive. Both his hands began to tremble. His heart beat raced in his chest. Would he be able to live through that again? "Temari...I don't think I can watch him like that. I don't think..."

"Calm down, Kankuro. We have to watch him. If we don't want a repeat of what happened to him, we need to watch him. Otherwise, we'll have to face him like that again. I know that's not something you ever want to see but it could turn out like that if we don't."

Kankuro stood up, walking towards the door. So many things were racing through his mind that he couldn't think straight. He couldn't begin to grasp any part of what was actually happening. It made him crazy. He wished nothing like this would happen to him again yet right now, it seemed like that would happen. The blood-lust eyes returning to their fearful gaze. The smell of death following his every haunting footstep. But this time, it might be even more powerful. It might be more deadly. It might be even more evil than it once was. He stopped before fully exiting. "I don't think we'll survive this time if his demon awakes again. And that's what I fear the most. I don't think Gaara can survive a second time." _I don't think any of us can..._

* * *

_  
It was death that gave me life  
Now it's the one thing that sustains me  
Just you wait  
I'll kill you all...  
_

* * *

_ I can't control this anymore. I feel like it's surrounding and I have no idea what to do. It's not something I want to return to yet it's eating away any sort of happiness I've been feeling for the past few months. I can't...I won't let it...IT CAN'T CONTROL ME AGAIN!!_

Gaara awoke with a scream, breathing heavy as he stared around his room. The same rustic brown color surrounded him. The same bright sunlight shining through the sand-made windows. He sighed, relieved. Another nightmare haunting his sleep. This had been going on for several days. What was happening to him? He moved his body so his feet touched the ground. He sat there, letting the warm sun soak into his body. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, pushing back the red hairs that hung in his face. "This can't be happening to me. I just need to calm down a little." he says to himself, slowly breathing in and out.

He raises to his feet, walking towards the bathroom in his room. He stares in the mirror, looking at his reflection. It suddenly takes shape of his old self, lusting after the death of others. The face of Shukaku stares at him in the eye. He topples over his own feet, hitting the ground. His heart beat races in his chest once more. He stands back up to look in the mirror. Just his reflection again. He relaxes a little, turning on the shower next to him. He removes his clothes and steps in, letting the lukewarm water pour drip down his skin. He remains motionless for a moment, lost in thought. _If it's really awoken, I have to warn Temari and Kankuro. I can't let them get hurt because of me. Naruto. I have to get help from him. He'll know what to do. I'll ask Temari to see if he's come back yet. He knows me more than anyone. I have to get help._

An abrupt knock on the door surprised him. He threw his thoughts aside. At the moment, they weren't important. He turned off the shower, stepping out and wrapping the towel around his body. He stepped towards the door. "Who is it?" he asks.

The voice doesn't respond for a moment. "It's Kankuro, you're brother. I need to talk to you for a moment if you don't mind. I'll let you get dressed before you talk though. But it's just important that I talk to you today. Please." Kankuro says, his voice shaky. He was shaky himself, wondering if he had calmed down from last night. He hoped he had.

Gaara could hear the worry in his voice. It surprised him Kankuro would actually be worried. Behind his tough guy exterior lied someone that actually had a bigger heart and cared about people more than he'd let on. It didn't surprise him. He was the first to find out about his interior. About a person that cares more about his family than he does his own self. Must've been something he learned from their stay at the leaf village. He dressed himself, having brought clean clothes in the bathroom with him. He walked out of the bathroom, looking at Kankuro and taking a moment to speak. "There's obviously something bothering you." Gaara says.

Kankuro looks to the floor, thinking of what exactly to say. He's not sure of how to put it into words, but he'll try his best to make it make sense. He twiddles his fingers nervously. A habit he didn't want to pick up. He relaxes himself before he speaks. Becoming nervous wouldn't help him right now. "Look Gaara...Temari and I both notice that you haven't been yourself lately. You're more...disturbed. Darker. More evil. You threatened my life yesterday. You haven't done that sense the chunin exams." Kankuro pauses. He stares directly in Gaara's eyes. "We're worried that...Shukaku has been awaken again."

Gaara is startled at first. Had it been that obvious? Had he not noticed that his mood to others had changed as well. He clenched his fist. He grew angry, but he wasn't going to take it out on Kankuro. He was only worried about him. Gaara breahed in slowly, calming down before he spoke again. "It's not just you that's been noticing then." he responds.

Kankuro is surprised. So it was true, and it seemed Gaara was just as scared as he was about it. _So he's pretty shaken up himself. He knows what's at risk. That's a start at least. Now just what to do about it. _Kankuro walked over to his brother, sitting next to him on his. He looked at Gaara's hand. His fist was clenched tightly, trembling. His eyes were full of fear. Apparently this has been going on for a couple days now. "Gaara...you still have Temari and me here. We've been here for you."

"But I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone if Shukaku awakens again. I can't do that again. I've already killed so many...I don't want that number to raise any higher than it already is. I want to be someone people look up to, not someone people fear as a monster. I've lived that part of my life and I refuse to go there again. I just can't be that again." Gaara suddenly blurts out.

His head falls onto Kankuro's lap. Tears pour down his face. Kankuro has never seem him like this before. It startled him to the point he didn't know what to do. He stroked his brother's head, still dumbfounded. Another side of Gaara he had no idea that even existed. It's something he hadn't expected to see. The shocker for his day. Maybe his entire life. _We have to help him. I don't know how or what to do...but we have to help him with this. _He comforted his brother. Gaara stared blankly out the window, tears still dripping down his face. It was too much. What was worse...he didn't tell his brother every detail about what was happening. It was coming...sooner than he intended.

* * *

_  
Who am I?  
What am I?  
I'm not so sure I know anymore...  
_

* * *

The end...for now.  
I'll write more in the next chapter  
Tell me if you liked it or not  
It takes a different approach on Gaara and his family  
A more emotional side 


	2. Rescue

_Your blood is slowly coming to a boil; Your body has already started to change form. You're becoming a monster again. You can't escape the fate that has so long followed you your entire life. It is useless to resist let alone to even think of resisting. It's just like suffering; a mental suicide. And you're the cause of it. Slowly torturing yourself from pushing every grim thought away from your mind. It's slowly consuming you and taking over what you once knew. You're a failure in a battle against yourself. Pathetic. And you call yourself stronger than that. Mentally, you're losing yourself. Psychotically, you've already passed insane.  
_

* * *

He bolts up from his deep sleep, breathing heavier than ever before. Sweat drips down his forehead and body. He places his hand across his chest, trying to steady himself. _"Calm down Gaara. You're getting worked up over nothing. You need to calm down. Otherwise you'll drive yourself mad." _The teenager slows his breath, slowing breathing in and out. His heart beat begins to steady itself. Gaara sighs in relief. This has been going on for two weeks now. Why won't these nightmares leave him alone? He moves his legs off his bed, pressing his feet against the cold floor. He rests his elbow on his knees and lets the cool breeze from the window blow against his body._"He's already taken over my thoughts. Now he's pushing even more by disturbing my dreams. And what's worse, I can't physically fight him when it's locked away inside me. Maybe I make him laugh himself to death so he'll give up. Even then, he could beat me. But why, of all things, does he have to make me relive my old self and see my dad?" _Gaara lowers his green eyed gaze to the ground, staring blankly at it. _"Because he knows it's what enrages me the most. Shukaku is toying with me. And I can't stop it!" _He clenches his fists, anger rising within himself. _"I can't put up with much more of this. I'd rather die than have to live another day with Shukaku." _Gaara's rage seeps out his depression, something he'd been dealing with from the time he was 6-years-old. Suicide had always been a hidden option to him, but he never thought he'd actually go through it. For Temari and Kankuro's sake. Now, it seemed like the ultimate answer. Gaara pushes the thought aside. _"I have to rest. My body is worn out as it is. I'll think more later."_ He returns to the comfort of his blankets, trying once more to fall asleep.

* * *

Mornings glow shines dimly through the windows. It seems odd that in Wind Country, it would actually rain; a strong rain none the less. The rain pours onto the village, lining the streets in deep puddles. Villagers rushed to their houses. The town seems almost deserted. Just some children, catching a rare opportunity of rain. They smile as they jump into every puddle, splashing it's cold water onto their skin. Kankuro stands on the balcony, watching from a distance. His body, from his brown hair to his feet, are soaked. Water drips down his face. He's staring blankly at the youngsters. It oddly made him sad to watch them. He sighs, a frown crossing his face. _"I'm pathetic. I'm only standing out here to distract my thoughts. To think of anything but Gaara. But how can I? He's changing so quickly. He's becoming Shukaku. It's not something I want to watch but I have to." _He lowers his head for a moment, feeling utterly hopeless in the whole situation with Gaara. _"I wish it was me instead of him. He doesn't deserve this. He's been through enough as it is." _Footsteps walk towards him from behind him. He turns his head slightly, enough to see Gaara standing behind. "It's not smart to be outside when it's raining like this," Gaara says with a smile

Kankuro smiles back. "Yea I know. I just needed some time to myself to think about things," he responds. Gaara walks up closer to him, resting his elbows against the railing. He doesn't seem to notice how wet he was becoming from the short time he was standing outside. Kankuro looks at his brother, then looks away. "How you holding up?"

His brother doesn't look back for a moment. He stares at the village, not wanting to look away from it. "I've been better," he says. "Though the situation seems pretty grim as days pass."

Gaara's gaze drifts down. His depression seeps into his skin. _"In fact, I've never been like this. It's like with each breath I take, it's a battle. More so than I even want it to be. I just wish...this whole thing would be over with. I'm sick of having to lie to them and put on a good face. It's so...aggravating." _Gaara grits his teeth, his hand noticeably trembling. Kankuro looks over at. It almost sickens him to look at his younger brother like this. There was so much on his shoulders right now. How he still had the strength to face the new day even surprised him. "Look Gaara, you don't have to fight this whole thing alone. You still have me and Temari here. We'll try to help as much as we can."

"There's nothing you can do, Kankuro. It's my battle. Shukaku is inside me; remember? It was me that Father placed him in so it means it's my fight to deal with. There isn't anything you can really do for me; except watch."

His words sneers from his mouth like poison. They're wreathed with evil. His voice already sounded like defeat in Kankuro's ears. He looks over at Gaara, not able to recognize him for a moment. It was like he was a completely different person. Tears begin to build up in his eyes. He blinks, letting a single tear drip down his cheek. He looks away from his little brother, not wanting Gaara to see what this was doing to him. It wasn't just effecting Gaara; it was effecting everyone. Gaara looks over at his brother, noticing the obvious signs that he was crying. He looks away, his blood beginning to boil even more inside him. _"Look at what you are doing? You're making a mess of everything. You're destroying everything just with your presence. You're ruining the lives of the people closest to you." _Gaara looks at his brother once more before walking back inside. A tear falls down his cheek. _"I can't let do this to them anymore."_Gaara walks to his bedroom, locking the door behind him. _"I won't let this thing win. Not this time." _

* * *

Three days pass and Temari begins to notice Gaara's absence. She hasn't seem him since yesterday when he was outside on the porch with Kankuro. She suddenly begins to worry, wondering where he could be. Several guards and ANBU members scower the village, looking for any sign of Gaara. They turn up nothing. It only makes Temari's worry build. She checks around the house, unable to find him. When she comes to Gaara's room, the door knob is locked. She bangs on the door hard. "Gaara, if you're in there, please come out. We've been worried sick about you." She pauses, waiting for a response. Nothing. "Gaara, please come out or say something; just so I know that you're in there." Nothing. Not a sound from the other side of the door. Temari's anger builds. Kankuro, standing beside her, watches her fueling rage. "Gaara, please come out here now or I'll break this door down."

By now, she's clenching her fist. "You don't know if he's in there or not. Why would he lock himself up in his own bedroom? It's not something he'd do unless he forced him to like the last time."

Temari pushes her brother away from. Stepping back, she raises her legs and kicks the door hard. It comes lose, falling on the floor. Temari and Kankuro enter, looking around. The room is dark and cold. The windows are boarded so no light can escape through them. Kankuro searches one part of the room, Temari searching the other. Temari feels something under her foot. She looks down, and screams in terror. Kankuro races over to her side, ripping off the boards on the window. Lying on the floor his Gaara, wounds and bruises covering his body. Blood dripping down his skin. Temari sits on her knees, lowering towards him. He's unconscious from the amount of blood loss. Temari holds him in her arms, his head resting on her her chest as tears drip down her skin._"What was he even thinking?!" _She buries her head on her brother. Kankuro sits next to her, trying to stop any remaining blood. He stands back up, running out of the room and down the halls to find medical help for his brother. Temari remains in the room with him, holding her brother tightly against her. _"Please don't die on me, Gaara. Please just hold on a little longer. I can't lose you; not now." _Medical ninja race into the room. Temari moves away from her brother, Kankuro by her side. She raises to her feet, leaning against her brother and watching in horror. They examine Gaara, feeling his neck for a pulse. "He's extremely weak and literally clinging to life. Judging by his wounds, in matter of hours...he would've been out of our care," One of medical ninja say to them.

Temari nearly falls backwards, unable to conjure up the words inside her head. Her knees suddenly loss feeling as she falls back, Kankuro having to catch her in his arms. The girl begins to cry more easily; her nightmares suddenly coming face to face with her. Kankuro's body suddenly becomes numb. He losses any feeling in his body. Reality slipping away more quickly than it ever had. Time pausing and going. He wasn't able to handle this. This couldn't be happening to him. As they carry Gaara away, Temari buries her face in Kankuro's chest. Kankuro looks down at his brother, horror-stricken. His body was almost like a horror to look at. It was bloody and bruised, almost too unreal for him. A single tear drips down his face, landing on Gaara's helpless body. As they come out of view, Temari and Kankuro are left in the room. Both teenagers are unable to move or say anything. All they can do is reflect on what was actually happening. Moments when by, and Kankuro was finally able to feel his body again. "We have to save him. This is out of his hands. He can't do this by himself anymore. We have to somehow save him. No matter what it takes, we have to save him." Kankuro says, ending the awkward silence. Temari nods in agreement, knowing he was right. "We have to rescue him...or else he'll lose him."

* * *

_Shorter than chapter one but still just as dark.  
In the works of a chapter three  
Will be posted next week or so  
Keep an eye out. And tell me what you think! _


	3. Spare My Life

**The Awakening  
Chapter 3: Spare My Life  
Author: Innocent Attraction  
Characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto**

**:**

_Spare me my life. If that's all you can give to me, I'd rather have that anything. I don't care if you take all my possessions or everything I have. Just spare me my life. Spare me that one minuet thing. My life is all I have. One life to try to make a difference in this world or fall between the cracks. I won't have another chance at this. If there was any time to beg you for my life, this is the moment I need to. Before you take my life, please spare me. Please save me from deaths' arms if not for me but for my family and loved ones. Let me be saved this one time. _

It was quiet in the hospital wing as the sun began to rise through the window. As the sun peered in her face, Temari woke up, stretching her arms out after sleeping on the couch in Gaaras' room. He still hadn't awaken. "Good. Maybe Shukaku will actually give him some peace. He needs it after that violent attack," she says to herself. She stands to her feet, checking on her little brother. His body was still covered with bruises and cuts. His left arm was still covered in a cast. It surprised Temari that Shukaku had allowed Gaara to become injured this time around. Usually, the sand would protect him. But this time, it didn't. It resisted. "This had to be Shukaku's doing."

She walks towards her brother as he soundly sleeps. She strokes her fingers through his red hair, smiling at him. It's been so long since she could do this. In fact, the last time she ever got to be this close to Gaara was when he was just a toddler. He was sick, and wanted his older sister to keep him company. That's exactly what she did. She stayed with him until she knew he'd be ok without having to be monitored for the night. Her father made Kankuro and herself watch him, in case Shukaku decided to awake in the middle of the night and take over his physical body. It was dreadful. It left dark circles under her eyes for years. Now that she was finally able to get to sleep, she felt better. Though at this point, sleep was the least important thing on her mind. "Why did the city let them do this to you, Gaara? You're the last person that ever deserved this kind of fate." A slight teardrop formed in her eye. All the years of watching him suffer made her sick inside. But she couldn't do anything about it. Her father was the Kazekage. What would she even be able to do?

Suddenly blinking his eyes awake, Gaara looks up at his older sister. "Where am I," he asks a bit confused as he looks around the room.

Temari pushes her thoughts aside. "You're at a hospital, Gaara. Something happened and you were rushed here. You've been in a kind of coma state for almost a week now."

"What happened to me," Gaara asks. His voice is fearful and concerned. He slowly rose up, Temari removing her hand away from his hair.

Temari looks at him. "Does he honestly not know what happened to him," she says to herself. "I certainly can't forget it, but how doesn't he remember?" This surprised her a bit. "Shukaku awoke and attacked you. At least that's what Baku thinks. No one is really sure, but there might be a risk that your sand demon has woken up again." Temari pauses for a moment, letting Gaara take this all in and hopefully remember what happened. "You were pretty beat-up when I found you. You seemed unconscious, like it had happened a couple days before or something. You'd been locked up in your room for three days." Gaara's eyes are wide and frightened. He seems as though he could actually cry. He remembers what happened before that. He just couldn't remember what happened afterwards. He even remembered the whole attack. "Are you ok, Gaara?"

"I'm fine," Gaara says, still thinking about the entire night. He could remember almost everything about it. "Shukaku…he woke up. He kept whispering in my ear that he needed blood. Fresh blood. Blood that didn't taste wasted and used. I kept telling him no. I didn't want to kill anymore. I was done being an image everyone feared, but he didn't like that answer. So he removed my sand armor and attacked me. He held the sand away from me so I couldn't block me beating myself up. He made sure I was near-death before I could stop. I don't remember anything after that."

Nearly ready to cry, Temari looks at her younger brother with so much fear. "So Shukaku did lash out against Gaara. But he knows he can't kill Gaara. Otherwise, he'd be lost forever as well. But why? It all doesn't make any sense," Temari thinks. She turns her attention once more to Gaara. "If Shukaku can control Gaara when he's awake, it means he has more control over him when he's asleep. We have to handle this situation now."

:

Kankuro stares at the clock hanging on the office. 12:23. "Temari should be home right now with news about Gaara. I hope he's doing ok. Last we heard, he was still beaten pretty bad and might've suffered a broken rib. Lets hope Shukaku didn't attack while Gaara was in recovery. He could kill him if he wanted to." Nervously pacing the floor, Kankuro fiddles with his fingers and talks to himself. When Temari stands at the door, Kankuro walks over towards her. "What took you so long?"

Temari didn't immediately answer. She didn't think she honestly could. It was harder to admit what was happening to Gaara than Kankuro might be ready to hear. Temari takes a deep breath in. "You might want to sit down for this, Kankuro." Kankuro seems startled. He doesn't hesitate though. He knew this news was obviously big if Temari's face looked this worried and concerned. "I think Shukaku is able to control Gaaras' defenses. Usually the sand would defend him from attack; even if he was attacking himself. But this time, he didn't. Gaara said it was as if Shukaku took control of his body and made him attack himself. He didn't understand it at all. I think Shukaku might actually be growing stronger."

Kankuro just stares at his sister. He can't find any words to say anymore. I surge of fear went down his spine. He knew this was probably the worst news he could get when it comes to Shukaku. It was hard enough with Gaara growing more and more unstable. With Shukaku now able to take control of him while he was awake and have full control of his movements, Gaara was fighting a battle he might not be able to win. "So what are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Temari says. "I honestly don't think there _is_ anything we can do. We've tried our best from the beginning to control Gaara the best we could and make sure nothing too drastic happened during important events. But this time, I don't think there's anything we can actually do this time." She turns her back from her brother, holding her arms close to her body. "I'm scared, Kankuro. Just when we get him back, Shukaku is trying to take over him again."

Kankuro stands to his feet and walks over to his older sister, wrapping his arms around her and comforting her. "For right now, Gaara's ok. He seems to be in good condition from what Baki described when he saw him last time a couple days ago. He doesn't seem to be getting weaker. We have to rely on that as best as we can."

"Shukaku is only doing that because he wasn't aware we'd weaken himself as well. He's letting Gaara rest so he'll be rested as well. Then what do we do? Watch helplessly from the sidelines?"

"Temari, I know you're worried. I know you are," Kankuro says. "But for now, we don't have much choice but to be positive for what we have. Gaara is ok right now. He might have a bit of a battle later, but for now he's ok. If anything happens to him, we'll be right there for him. He's a lot stronger with controlling Shukaku. He met Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto changed him. You know that. Gaara won't let himself lose to Shukaku."

Temari smiles at her brother. Apparently, Kankuro had grown up more than she was honestly aware of. She admired his strength during this difficult situation. She sighs. "I guess that's all we have to rely on. That doesn't mean I won't worry about him, but I guess you're right. I heard some ninjas wanted to talk to me when I came in. I'll see you in a little bit." Temari looks at her brother one last time then exit's the office.

Kankuro smiles until Temari comes out of view. On the outside, he tried to appear as positive as possible. On the inside however, his world was starting to crumble under his feet and his strength was quickly diminishing. He knew Gaara would only get worse from here on in. He knew this; he'd been thinking about this since the first time Gaara lashed out on him. He had to remain strong though, even if he didn't feel so strong. "Gaara, lets hope Naruto made a difference in you. You can fight through this and make it through. I know you can. You're so much stronger than any of us. Don't let Shukaku overtake you, little brother. I don't think I could see you like that again. I don't think anyone could see you like that again…

:

_You're not strong enough to take me, Gaara Sabaku. In fact, you can't fight me without losing your life. And if you die, I die. I don't think you want that to happen do you? You can't fight this battle and win. Eventually, you will become that dark, sadistic child who everyone feared when his name was brought up. You will become that child with the scent of blood that followed him everywhere he went. You will become that cold-blooded killer that didn't feel a single thing. You will become me once more. You can't control me; I control you. You can't hide from me. You can't hide anything from me. I know you. I live in you. I am you._

Gaara raises up in his hospital bed, his heart bounding in his chest. A bit of sweat drips from his forehead and down his cheek. He looks around the room, making sure he was alone. "Another nightmare," he says. "I can't let this keep happening to me. This has been going on long enough. But if I keep trying to resist him, he'll attack me until there's nothing left. I don't want to die fighting a demon I feel as though I could never control. I can't let myself lose to him." Gaara looks out to the window. The window faces his house. He looks more determined. "I can't let myself lose this fight…for them. I don't want them to experience that same fear they had to endure because of me. I love them too much to let that happen again. I can't let it happen. I want to be like Naruto. I hope what Naruto taught me sticks with me through this.

Gaara, shifting over so his feet barely touched the ground, pushes himself so he can stand on his feet. He walks over to the window to look at his village. Being kazekage, he had to protect the village, but how was he going to protect the village when the enemy he would fight would be himself? How was he even going to manage this when he didn't know what exactly he was supposed to do? At least Gaara knew one thing; the next few months ahead, there wouldn't be much peace in the village. This battle was far from over; it was just beginning.

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End of Chapter.  
Please review and tell me what you honestly thought of it.  
I spent a lot of time trying to think of an idea for it.


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